Silent Hill 2: Remake

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Capcom’s Resident Evil franchise may be the undisputed champion of the Survival-Horror genre, but when it comes to stand-alone entries, Silent Hill 2 is king. Widely regarded as THE greatest horror game of all time and the pinnacle of the series. Silent Hill 2, while an all-time-classic, was sadly locked away on the 6th-generation-consoles. The series, as a whole, struggled to find its footing after SH2. While SH3 & 4 were well-received by fans, their sales were lukewarm. After this, Konami would disband the original creators, Team Silent. The property proceeded to be bounced around by several western developers. Considered to be the low point in the series’ history, the western titles were deemed inferior for retaining the Silent Hill look, but not its passion. Homecoming, having mixed reception and Downpour being downright poor. Konami became infamous for their mistreatment of the franchise. The HD remaster of Silent Hill 2 and 3 on the PS3 was a disaster, rife with glitches, technical issues, not including SH1 or 4 and recasting of the voice-actors. After this fumble, fans were anticipating a new announcement. Konami would take the fanbase by storm. In 2014, the critically acclaimed P.T was released, a demo for the upcoming Silent Hills. Sadly, due to disagreements between Komani and Kojima, the project was canceled. Fans were rightfully furious, however, they had a sliver of hope as Konami announced they were working on something new. In 2015 they would reveal their magnum-opus…….a fucking Silent Hill slot machine! The series was dead and buried.

Fast Forward to 2022- during October it FINALLY happened. Komani announced a slew of upcoming Silent Hill games; most importantly a remake of the beloved Silent Hill 2. To say fans were overjoyed would be an understatement. What made some people raise a brow wasn’t the game choice itself, but the developers chosen to produce it. Bloober Team has had a catalog of games varying in reception. Giving them the reins to remake the most significant horror game ever was met with skepticism. If they didn’t deliver with this project, the franchise and Bloopers Team’s reputation would be six-feet under. They knew they had ZERO room for error. That being said, they pulled up their boots and delivered. Silent Hill 2 isn’t just good, it’s freaking amazing.

The original SH2 is a classic, but it’s showing its age. The controls and combat are dated and not conducive to newcomers of the franchise. Gameplay improvements weren’t just welcomed, they were mandatory. Gone are the awkward fixed camera angles as it graciously glides behind the player. Gone are the lumbering combat controls as James is able to put pipe to the monster’s face, feeling smooth as silk. This game’s whole approach to its controls was rehauled from top-to-bottom.  Boss battles in the original SH2, while iconic, were pretty underwhelming. This time around, they have turned up in intensity and variety, making these feel much more fleshed out. The most significant improvements lie in its traversing design. In the original SH2 it was not uncommon to get lost and backtrack aimlessly. Here, when a location no longer contains anything of value, it is sealed, telling the player that there’s nowhere to go but forward. 

Silent Hill 2 is nothing short of gorgeous. All the ingredients are here and cooked to perfection. The fog-filled town and the creatures lurking in it have never looked better. Character animations are top-notch and fluid. On full display is the sound design, with acclaimed composer Akria Yokama returning to the series and not skipping a beat. The monsters are just as disturbing and vile sounding as ever. We all know where Yokama shines the brightest; the music. Themes of depression, despair, and hopelessness make this game’s soundtrack a major highlight; I would honestly say it’s almost as good as the original.

Silent Hill 2 is the comeback this franchise desperately needed. Bloober can stand proud that they took on the task of recreating a classic and knocked it out of the park. A beautiful fresh coat of paint, modernised controls, a banger of a soundtrack and all-around love and effort has made this one of the best horror remakes ever. I can’t commend the Bloober Team enough. They did what no one thought possible. They saved a series that was considered dead as a doornail. The future of the franchise is looking bright. Let’s see what nightmares and terror the town will manifest for us next. Turn on your flashlight, listen for the buzz of the radio and take your first step into the fog.

Much obliged,

Fil

Verdict: 10/10

https://opencritic.com/game/16791/silent-hill-2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Hill_2_(2024_video_game)